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The Hoffman Triangle in New Orleans lies below sea level, sandwiched between the levees of Lake Pontchartrain on the north and the high banks of the Mississippi River to the south. During Hurricane Katrina, floodwaters rose about 9 feet, destroying two-thirds of the neighborhood’s housing. Yet even before Katrina, “the Hoffman Triangle was facing lots […]

At 28, Shahrouz Yousefi is older than most of his peers graduating May 18. But had he stayed in his native Tehran, Iran, he would not have gone to college at all. The Islamic government imposes restrictions on members of Yousefi’s Bahai Faith. The religion arose in Iran in mid-19th century and, next to Islam, […]

Melissa Clyde was raised to give back to her Navajo people. Her maternal grandmother’s inspiration and hope for her family is to “keep the fire going.” This guiding vision is Clyde’s holistic path to becoming an agent of change. In that vein, Clyde will receive a master’s degree from the George Warren Brown School of […]

For as long as he can remember, Mark Bartholomew has loved working with his hands. As a child, he played with the tools in the family garage and always came up with a new project crafted from recycled materials. Later, he considered practicing medicine. “I spent a lot of time studying an anatomy book that […]

For someone who didn’t exactly know what he wanted to do after college as recently as his junior year, Kendrick Gwynn sure has figured out a plan in a hurry. Gwynn, a biology major in Arts & Sciences who will receive a bachelor’s degree May 18, plans to attend medical school in the fall and […]

Jessica L. “Jess” Friedman may not know where she’ll be in five years, but no one can doubt her navigational skills. Between her sailing abilities, GPS mapping systems experience and a highly developed sense of place and purpose, she’ll get wherever she’s headed. Friedman, who grew up in Durham, N.C., graduates with a bachelor’s degree […]

Kimberly A. Walker, OTD, is a perfect example of the saying, “If you want something bad enough, you’ll find a way to make it happen.” Walker, who earned a doctorate in occupational therapy in December, has exemplified the spirit of determination since birth, a difficult one in which her twin was stillborn, and Walker was […]

When asked what she’s going to do over the summer, Homa Zafer responds with a typical college-student answer: “Sleep,” she says with a laugh. “I miss it.” Zafer, however, is anything but typical. She completed 20 credit hours this semester and at Commencement will receive a bachelor’s degree in communications with a journalism emphasis from […]

“Do it because you love it.” That’s the credo of the Amateurs, a co-ed a cappella student singing group that’s become a favorite campus diversion for graduating senior and Plymouth, Minn.-native Andrew Schupanitz. The phrase also is an apt motto for his academic career, which has taken him from would-be pre-med freshman with strong interests […]

Most boys dream of being professional baseball players. Stephen Westbrooks dreams of owning a baseball team. And not just any team — Westbrooks plans to own the St. Louis Cardinals. The dream may sound grandiose, but Westbrooks’ self-confidence and affability make it easy to believe he can do anything he sets his mind to. “I […]